Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2018 May 1.
Published in final edited form as: Kidney Int. 2017 Jan 4;91(5):1126–1145. doi: 10.1016/j.kint.2016.10.036

Figure 6. SS-31 lowers expression of α-SMA, collagen IV and pERK in glomerular parietal epithelial cells in aged mice.

Figure 6

(A–D) Alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)(red) and DAPI (blue) staining. (A) α-SMA staining is detected in outer cortical glomeruli in the tuft and along Bowman’s capsule in saline treated mice. Glomeruli are outlined by dotted lines, white asterisks represent staining in vessels. Scale bar = 50 μm. (B) SS-31 treatment lowers α-SMA staining in outer cortical glomeruli. (C) α-SMA staining is detected in the tuft and Bowman’s capsule in juxa-medulla glomeruli in aged mice given saline. (D) α-SMA staining is lower in juxta-medullary glomeruli in SS-31 treated mice.

(E–H) Collagen IV (brown, cytoplasmic) and hematoxylin (blue, nuclear) staining. (E) Collagen IV (Col IV) staining is abundant along Bowman’s capsule in outer cortical glomeruli in saline-treated aged mice. Bracket with asterisk shows most expanded capsule region in each panel. (F) SS-31 treatment lowers collagen IV staining along Bowman’s capsule in outer cortical glomeruli. (G) In juxta-medullary glomeruli of saline treated mice, collagen IV staining is abundant along Bowman’s capsule, which is lower in mice given SS-31 (brackets with asterisks) (H). See M for Collagen quantitation.

(I-L) Phospho-ERK 1/2 protein (pERK)(brown nuclei) and hematoxylin (blue nuclei) staining. (I) pERK staining is detected in a PEC distribution (along Bowman’s capsule) in outer cortical glomeruli of saline treated aged mice. Black arrows show brown pERK positive nuclei, red arrows show blue nuclei and are pERK negative. (J) SS-31 lowers PEC pERK staining in outer cortical glomeruli. (K) pERK staining is detected in PECs in juxta-medullary glomeruli in aged mice given saline. (L) pERK staining in juxta-medullary glomeruli was lowered in aged mice given SS-31.

(M) Quantitating Collagen IV staining in PECs. In all glomeruli, 8w of SS-31 treatment lowered collagen IV staining in PECs of mice with advanced age.

(N) Quantitating pERK staining in PECs. The percentage of PECs staining for pERK was lower in SS-31 treated aged mice in both regions of the cortex. Error bars represent the mean ± standard deviation.

These results indicate that glomeruli in aged animals treated with SS-31 show reduced markers for PEC pro-fibrotic activation.